Electrodic endoscopic instrument



April 21, 1936.

F. c. WAPPLER ELECTRODIC ENDOSGOPIC INSTRUMENT 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 27, 1933 IN V EN TOR,

A rilZl, 1933. F WAPPLE'R 4 2,033,393

ELECTRODIC ENDOSCOP IC INSTRUMENT Filed Feb. 27, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 21, 1936. F. c. WAPPLER ELECTRODIC ENDOSCOPIC INSTRUMENT Filed Feb. 27, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVEN TOR, E-ahu'ck fimlwwq a:

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Patented Apr. 21, 1936 I I I 2,038,393

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFarcE =2;0s8,393l 'i ELECT-Rome ENDOSCGPIG' INSTRUMENT Frederick Charles wa pier mama. N. Y. Application-February 27, 1 93 3;"SerialNoi" 658,810

8-Claims'.' (elk-1 284 "My present invention relates generally tosurtion"sh'owing the'manner of operationurider one g-ical instruments; and has particular reference set "of adjusted'conditions; V

to-an improved type of electrodic instrument. ""Figure' 10"is'a-view"simi1ar to "Figure '9' show- 'The-'type of device to which my invention reing the modeof operation under the alternative lates consists-generally of an endoscopic-tube, se't 'of conditions; i 5 a movable electrode rod inthe tube, and atele- Figure l'l'is anend view taken'substantially scope commanding a viewof the operative foralongthe line H-I [of Figure 3; and ward end of-the' rod. It is'a general objectof IFigUT'l'Z is a cross-sectional view taken submy invention to provide a construction of im'- stantiagllyalongthe line I2--l2 of Figure 8, with 0 proved capabilities, from the standpoint of mainthe electrode in retracted position. taining efficient visibility of the operative ,elec- ,The endoscopic tube 20 is provided at 'itsfortrode at all times. warden'd with thelateral opening or fenestra 2|,

It is a more particular object to provide an and terminates at its rear end in the convenarrangement whereby the operator may'selectionalcollar2'2 and the rearwardly opening attively adjust certain portionsfor the purposeoftachment sleeve or neck-23. In the instrument 1'5 accomplishing two different types of visibility; chosenforpurposes of illustration, the tube More especially, the instrument permits the teleis'composed' entirely of 'insulating'material. scope to be locked, at will, to eitherthe-endo- The assemb ly-whichis' adapted to fit; removscopic tube or to the electrode rod. Where the ably, into themeck 23, consists of the main sup- 20 telescope is locked to the tube;-the conventional porting"elementv Mgprovided' with the slightly 20 type of efiect isaccomplishedy and bylooking tapered-attachment plug 25, together with the through the telescope the operative electrode is various elements and parts carried by the memvisible throughout its entire scope of travel. On ber 'i l-i" An- ,a3ttachment fork 26 is preferably the other hand, where the telescopeis locked to provided-fon-the purpose of'engaging with the the-e1ectrode rod, it moves with the electrode attachment element 21 whichis provided on the 25 rod, and the operative electrode is maintained in 2'3 for'the purpose of holding the parts in a. constant predeterminedoptical relationship to proper intimaterelationship when the device is the objective of the telescope. tobeused.

I achieve the foregoing objects;-and' such" other -Projecting forwardly from the plug 25- are'tne objects as may hereinafter appear or bepointed two 'opposite irrigation tubes 28 and 29, and the 30 out; in the manner illustratively exemplified in relatively short-guide tube 30. The tubes 28 and the accompanying drawings; whereiniii-are "of adength sufiioient to extend almost to Figure 1 is a perspective view of an instrument the fenestra l I and near their'forward ends they embodying the features of my present invention; areassociated and boundtogether'with a sup- Figure 2 is an enlarged elevational view of the porting 'ring 3l, as shown most clearly in Fig- 35 rear end of the instrument of Figure 1'; ure fiiz ---Figure 3 is afragmentary cross-sectional View "The tubes 28 and-29 are connected by suitable taken substa a y along "011e-1 ne-3-3 of Fig bores with the petcocks 32 and 33, respectively. ure2; The tube 30is-the forward continuation of a bore "Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view extending"entirelythrough the plug 25 and the 40 taken'substantially along-the'iline '4-.4 of Fig-' element 24; being adapted to'accommodate the ure 1; body of a telescope 34 in snug yet slidable rela- Figu'reB is a plan viewof the operative portionship. Opposite the bore which accommotions-of 'the device; i dates -the telescope-"there is a bore extending 1 Figure 6 isa fragmentary cross-sectional view entirely through the plug 25'and the element 24 taken'substantially along the line 6-3 ofFigfor accommodating an electrode rod in snug yet ure 2; e V I v slidable relationship. The-electrode rod is pref- Figure '7 is a"cross-sectional view-taken sub-' erably composed of anr'elongated conductive elestantially-alongthe line 1-1 of, Figure 2; ment 3 5 arranged within a covering 36 of insuysFigure'fi is an enlarged elevational cro'ss-seclating mate'rial; the; latter being in turn entio'nal" view through the forward portion of =the sheathed by the metallic tube 31. At its forward instrument; a i end the element-35 merges with-two forwardly "iFiguiei9 Side View/70fv h n rument;- with divergent arms '38'and 39, ensheathedin suitable 5'5 idr tions broken away and-other portions'insec fine irisulatiom-thesearmsterminating at their forward ends in the substantially transverse uninsulated operative loop 40.

The telescope 34 is preferably of the character shown and described in United States Letters Patent No. 1,680,491, terminating at its forward end in the attenuated projection 4|, which carries the illuminating lamp 42, and in the eccentrically positioned objective lens 43. At the rear end, the telescope is provided with the customary eyepiece 44, and the usual contact bands 45 to which electrical connections may be made for operating the lamp 42.

The forward portions of the telescope 34 and of the electrode rod are accommodated within the confines of the band or ring 3|, as shown in Figure 4. The arrangement is such that the forward operative end of the telescope positions itself between the arms 38 and 39 of the electrode, as shown most clearly in Figures 5, 8, 11, and 12.

In the conventional type of instrument, the telescope is fixed in position, and the electrode rod is longitudinally movable to advance and retract the operative loop 40 for the purpose, for example, of resecting a channel from the wall of an interior body cavity or the like. In accordance with my present invention, however, the parts are so associated and so mounted that the telescope may, if desired, be released from its fixed relationship to the tube 20, and may be locked into association with the electrode rod, so as to be movable therewith.

The construction I have herein illustrated, by way of example, consists of a rearwardly extending fixed rack 46, carried by the element 24, and a housing 41 slidably mounted upon the rack 46 and carrying the control pinion 48 which meshes with the rack 46. The pinion 48 is preferably provided with the control handle 49 which may be swung forwardly or rearwardly, as indicated in Figures 9 and 10, for the purpose of advancing or retracting the housing 41 along the rack 46.

Attached to the housing 41, as, for example, by means of the screw 56, is the auxiliary insulated housing 5| within which the rear end of the electrode rod is anchored, and from which the electric terminal 52 projects for the purpose of establishing a suitable electrical connection from an outside source of current to the electrode loop 40. A preferred arrangement is illustrated in Figure 3. The lower portion of the housing 41 hasa bore through which the electrode rod 31 extends; and a setscrew 53 is adapted to clamp against the rear portion of the rod tohold it in proper position. The rear end of the insulation 36 extends into a small recess 54 in the auxiliary housing 5|; and the rear end of the conductive member 35 is adapted to project into a recess within which it establishes contact with the conductive core of the binding post 52. The external connection is usually established by means of a connector 55 which is adapted to be inserted endwise into the terminal 52. v

In the housing 41, immediately above the bore through which the electrode rod extends, I provide a second bore through which the telescope is adapted to extend. The latter bore is continued through the auxiliary housing 5|. The lower portion of the housing 41, through which these bores extend, is split, as shown most clearly in Figure 6, whereby the manipulation of a clamping nut 56 may selectively clamp or release the telescope into or out of association with the housing 41. The nut 56 engages witha stud 51 mounted in the housing 41 and provided at its end with the auxiliary locking nut 58.

Engaging the telescope, near its rear end, is the clamping bracket 59 provided with a split edge engaging around the telescope and adapted to be clamped to the telescope by means of a clamping nut 60. This clamp does not fulfill any specific function in connection with my present invention. The element 59 is also provided with the opening 6| into which the forwardly projecting pin 62 is adapted to extend, thereby permitting the telescope to be adjusted rotationally by slight amounts.

At its upper end, the element 59 is provided j with a channel slidably engaging around the rack 46, and a clamping nut 63 is adapted, upon tightening or loosening, to lock the bracket 59 to the rack 46, or to release it therefrom.

handle 49 advance and retract the electrode 46 in the manner indicated by the dot-and-dash positions of Figure 10. Upon looking through the telescope, the electrode may be seen to recede from the observer when it is advanced, and it may be observed approaching the observer as r it is retracted. This forward and rearward movement of the electrode, relative to the tube and the telescope, is not in the least impeded by the telescope because of the arrangement of the divergent arms 38 and 39.

Preferably, though not necessarily, the instrument is adapted to be used in a manner whereby the electrode 40 travels from substantially the full-line position of Figure 8 to the dot-and-dash position of this figure; and the arms 38 and 39 are yieldable and are arched in a manner whereby they bear against the rear wall of the tube 20 for the purpose offorcing the electrode loop completes its retractive movement, the rear curved edge of the fenestra guides the tube into the confines of the tube, as indicated in Figures 8, 11, and 12, so that a shearing relationship is established between the loop 40 and the rear edge of the fenestra at the completion of the movement of the loop.

Under certain circumstances, it is sometimes desirable to keep the loop constantly under close and predetermined observation, instead of permitting it to recede from or approach the objective of the telescope. To, accomplish this object, it is merely necessary for the user of the present instrument to release the clamp 63, and to tighten the clamp 56. A release of the clamp 63 releases the telescope from locked relationship with the tube 20, and a clamping of the nut 56 looks the telescope into association with the housing 41, and hence into association with the electrode rod. Under these conditions, a movement of the control handle 49 results in advancing and retracting the parts, as indicated in Figure 9. It will be noted that the entire telescope, and with it the clamping element 59, advances and retracts in unison with the electrode rod. This is indicated by the full-line and the dot-and-dash line positions indicated in Figure 9. Accordingly, if the telescope is initially adjusted into predetermined desired relationship with the electrode loop, the longitudinal movements of the electrode loop will be accompanied by simultaneous movements of the telescope, whereby the loop is constantly maintained in a predetermined optical relationship to the objective of the telescope.

It will be understood that changes in the details herein described and illustrated for the purpose of explaining the nature of my invention may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.v

It is therefore intended that these details be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In an instrument of the character described, an endoscopic tube, an electrode rod and a telescope mounted for longitudinal movement in said tube, said rod having. an operative forward end and said telescope commanding a view of said end, and means for longitudinally reciproeating said rod and telescope in unison.

2. In an instrument of the character described, an endoscopic tube, an electrode rod and a telescope mounted for longitudinal movement in said tube, said rod having an operative forward end and said telescope commanding a View of said end, means for longitudinally reciprocating said rod, and means for selectively locking said telescope to said tube or to said rod.

3. In an instrument of the character described, an endoscopic tube, an electrode rod and a telescope mounted for longitudinal movement in said tube, said rod having an operative forward end and said telescope commanding a view of said end, and means for longitudinally reciprocating said rod and telescope in unison; said means comprising a rack and pinion arrangement, one element of which is associated with said tube and the other of which is associated with said rod and telescope.

said arrangement being carried by said tube and the other being associated with said rod, and means for selectively locking said telescope tosaid tube or to said rod.

' 5. In an instrument of the character described, an endoscopic tube, an electrode rod and a telescope mounted for longitudinal movement in said tube, said rod having an operative forward end and said telescope commanding a view of said end, and means for longitudinally reciprocating said rod and telescope in unison; said means com,- prising a rack carried by said tube, and a control pinion meshing with said rack and movably associated with said rod and telescope.

6. In an instrument of the character described, an endoscopic tube, an electrode rod and a telescope mounted for longitudinal movement in said tube, said rod having an operative forward end and said telescope commanding a view of said end, a rack carried by said tube, a. control pinion meshing with said rack and movably associated with said rod so that rotation of the pinion will longitudinally reciprocate said rod, and means for selectively locking said telescope to said tube or to said rod.

7. In an instrument of the character described, an endoscopic tube, an electrode rod and a telescope mounted for longitudinal movement in said tube, said rod having an operative forward end and said telescope commanding a view of said end, a rack carried by said tube, a control pinion meshing with said rack and movably associated with said rod so that rotation of the pinion will longitudinally reciprocate said rod, and means for selectively locking said telescope to said tube or to said rod; said means comprising a clamp car- 7 ried by said telescope and releasably engageable with said rack, and a second clamp carried by said rod and releasably engageable with said telescope.

8. In an instrument of the character described, an endoscopic tube, an electrode rod and a telescope mounted for longitudinal movement in said tube, said rod having an operative forward end and said telescope commanding a View of said end, means for longitudinally reciprocating said rod, and means for selectively locking said telescope to said tube or to said rod, said last-named means comprising a clamp carried by said telescope and releasably engageable with said tube, and a second clamp carried by said rod and releasably engageable with said telescope.

FREDERICK CHARLES WAPPLER. 

